Identity of Speakers
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Felicia Branch
Faculty/Staff
OtherAssistant Professor of Clinical Education; Tax Clinic Director at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Social media
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Faculty sanctioned
State Campus Free Speech Act
Title IX or other federal statute
Other
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
Felicia Branch, a law professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s William H. Bowen School of Law, was suspended with pay in September 2025 following controversial social media posts about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Branch, who joined the faculty in July 2025 and directed a clinic assisting low-income taxpayers, made Facebook posts that appeared to celebrate Kirk’s death and mock those mourning it. One post referenced Psalm 109, a Bible passage calling for justice against perceived evil, while another compared mourners to the Ku Klux Klan.
University leadership swiftly condemned Branch’s comments. Chancellor Christina Drale expressed opposition to violent rhetoric and emphasized the importance of civil discourse in higher education. Dean Colin Crawford stated that legal educators must uphold integrity and avoid legitimizing violence. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Attorney General Tim Griffin, and Lieutenant Governor Leslie Rutledge publicly called for Branch’s termination, labeling her remarks as vile and incompatible with the values of higher education and the legal profession.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has initiated an investigation into Branch’s conduct, which may involve violations of the faculty code of conduct prohibiting discriminatory behavior based on political beliefs.
The case highlighted the ongoing tension between academic freedom and professional standards in academia. This matter occurred amid a series of similar incidents at universities nationwide following Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
